‘Stand’ing with Flamboyance is the debut collaboration between Pyramid and Flamingos Coffee House. The exhibition’s title is a pun – ‘stand’ and ‘flamboyance’ are terms used to describe a group of flamingos. It explores different art pieces by artists in and around Leeds who identify as LGBTQIA* and/or disabled, bringing together interconnecting communities/groups of people. Flamingos is a valued space for the Leeds queer community.
This exhibition was organised and curated by Pyramid artists Heather and Leigh. Heather is a learning disabled and autistic artist who enjoys lots of art forms, with an interest in character design and cats. Heather’s characters span many queer, racial and disabled identities, allowing lots of people to make connections and be represented her work.
Artists based in and around Leeds were invited to submit work in any medium that fitted the theme of queer, disabled or queer and disabled identities.
Venue and access
Situated in Central Arcade in Leeds City Centre, Flamingos Coffee House is Leeds’ premier queer friendly Coffee House, providing a friendly, safe space for all.
Alexander is a prolific illustrator who creates characters inspired by animated film and TV. He creates whole worlds and stories based on these characters – usually someone is in peril, a bad guy is trying to take over the world, or someone is heading to jail! Don’t worry though, there is always a good guy or gal to save the day! Alexander enjoys slapstick humour in which someone inevitably gets injured. He spends much of his time sharing these stories with others in the studio, and showing off his work.
At Pyramid, Alexander has been exploring working on a bigger scale with his ‘video game bad guys’ series, as well as his ‘sea monster pirate ship’ painting. His work is spread across the corners of the Pyramid studio, making our shared space bright and colourful and inspiring everyone who passes through.
For Pyramid’s 2024 Christmas market, he also turned some of his work into products for people to buy, such as Christmas decorations and a colouring book. Some of his illustrations are available as temporary tattoos in our webshop. In 2025, Alexander collaborated with local social enterprise, Seagulls Reuse, where he created seagull-themed merchandise to sell in their shop. Alexander’s painting ‘sea monster pirate ship’ was selected to be part of the 2025 Leeds Summer Group Show at the Leeds Playhouse.
Heather
Heather is a learning disabled and autistic artist who enjoys lots of art forms, with an interest in character design and cats. Heather’s characters span many queer, racial and disabled identities. This allows lots of people to make connections and be represented her work.
“At Pyramid I have been learning how to create pieces of artwork using different techniques and materials. When I first started attending Pyramid I would only draw traditionally and digitally. However, I’ve been learning how to use materials such as clay, shrink plastic, needle and thread, the sewing machine, Hama beads, lino cutting, and lots of different paints ranging from acrylic to watercolour.”
Heather also works from Leeds Print Workshop, learning how to create and use a silk screen for printing.
“Learning how to create a screen was difficult at first but thankfully I had a lot of help. I made my design on my iPad in an app called Procreate. My first design was a clown cat; I’m not fully sure why but cats in clown inspired outfits are fun.”
She has since been working independently, experimenting with colour, layering and creating an exclusive print for the 20:20 Print Exchange by Hot Bed Press. Since 2023, Heather has had a display cabinet inside Thackray Museum of Medicine’s community exhibition space, which details her relationship between colour and communication. In 2025, Heather is curating her first ever exhibition at Flamingos Coffee House in Leeds.
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Artist call out – Flamingos exhibition
Hi, we are Heather and Leigh! We are queer-friendly artists from Pyramid, a Leeds-based arts organisation who invest in learning disabled, autistic, or both, artists through the discovery, development and disruption of the arts.
Are you a queer and/or disabled artist? Show us your artwork! Pyramid and Flamingos Coffee House are teaming up to bring a new art display in the heart of Leeds city centre.
Artists who are based in and around Leeds are welcome to submit work in any medium that can be wall mounted and fits the theme of queer disabled or queer and disabled identities.
The exhibition will be inside Flamingos Coffee House in Leeds. It will run from March 2025 until the foreseeable (dependent on the sale of Flamingos). Artworks can be returned to the artist at any time upon request.
How to apply
Applications to this exhibition are free, there is no submission fee.
The submission deadline is 10 February 2025. We will select artworks and contact applicants by 26 February.
Please email submissions@pyramid.org.uk with your images and artist info as follows:
You can submit up to 3 pieces of work for us to choose from (please include them all in the same email and understand that we might select only one for exhibition).
You can include up to 5 images per artwork.
Please include the dimensions (or intended printed sizes) of each artwork.
Please include a small bit of of information about your work (for example: How did you make it? What is it about? What inspires you?). This can include specific links to work on your website, social media or online portfolio.
Exhibition requirements
Artworks can be any size or shape but should take up no more wall space than A2 (42cm x 59cm).
Artworks must not protrude (stick out) any more than 5cm.
Artworks must be ready to hang.
Artists can submit up to three pieces, but only one may be selected.
Work is exhibited entirely at the owner’s risk.
Successful artists are welcome to drop off work at the Pyramid studio (Holbeck, Leeds) by midday Friday 7 March. Other alternative means suited to the artist’s needs (e.g. posting, digital work for basic printing up to A3) can be discussed via email upon successful application.
Selling work
All sales are the artist’s own and must be coordinated between the artist and buyer themselves, so please include contact information if you wish to sell your work.
Venue and access
Situated in Central Arcade in Leeds City Centre, Flamingos Coffee House is Leeds’ premier queer friendly Coffee House, providing a friendly, safe space for all, 7 days a week.
Refreshments: Hot food and drinks are available to buy at the venue. Please note that it is card only (you cannot pay with cash).
Click the image to view the event flyer:
The Visioning Group will share information and artwork about some fantastic projects that have happened recently at Pyramid, and some of our exciting future plans. We will be launching the ‘Pyramid Plan 2024-2028’, written by the Visioning Group.
Our plan is very ambitious! It says things like:
We will work with artists, organisations, galleries and venues from across the world.
There will be more famous artists with a learning disability, autism or both.
We want to make big change through big art
As well as sharing recent artwork and films made by Pyramid artists, we will launch our new ‘Pyramite’ t-shirts for supporters to wear with pride (designed by the Visioning Group) and there will be an auction of artwork from Next Step Pyramid’s ‘Take a Seat’ project, recently exhibited at Seagulls. You can read more about the auction, here: pyramid.org.uk/take-a-seat-home-online-auction
We invite you to join us in this celebration and explore how you can take part and support our ambitious future plans.
Pyramid is proud to be supported by Northern Monk’s Faith in Futures Foundation. We have exciting plans for future collaborations, including a project for artists to design beer tap handles for Northern Monk bars and venues.
Faith in Futures raises money through various channels including fundraising events, merchandise sales and sales of their Faith in Futures range of beers. So, even the drinks you buy on the night will be making a contribution to Pyramid!
Pyramid’s Visioning Group is a group of people with and without learning disabilities, autism or both who work together to set the future ambitions and plans for Pyramid.
Take a Seat Home – Online Auction
Following on from our Take a Seat exhibition at Seagulls, we’re inviting you to take a seat home!
The artworks were made by Next Step Pyramid, and were made by up-cycling lab stools, donated by Greenhead College Huddersfield, using recycled paint from Seagulls (a Leeds-based social enterprise based around the recycling and reuse of paint). The stools were exhibited at Seagulls and will be on show again at Northern Market on 19 November.
The group spent several weeks choosing their own individual themes for their stools and had lots of fun trying out different techniques such as collage, painting and papier-mâché before they got stuck into decorating their final pieces. Next Step have kindly agreed that the Visioning Group can auction the stools as a Pyramid fundraiser, to support the ambitions in the Pyramid Plan 2024-2028.
The Take A Seat project is a good working example of different ambitions stated in the Pyramid Plan, such as:
We will increase collaborations and partnership working to reach new people. Next Step and the Visioning Group have worked with Greenhead College, Seagulls Paint, and Northern Monk to make this project happen.
We will create artwork which celebrates Pyramid’s commitment to environmental responsibility and sustainability. The group created beautiful and unique artworks using wholly reused and recycled materials, and exhibited them at Seagulls’ new venue in Holbeck, hopefully encouraging Pyramid members and audiences to visit, and use Seagulls’ services in future.
We want to use our art to make others think and care about the world. We want to make Big Change Through Big Art. If you believe in the ambitions stated in the Pyramid plan, please consider supporting the plan by bidding for a stool, joining our Patreon, or making a donation.
The silent auction
In a silent auction, each person who wants to bid on an item writes down their bid, and the person who bids the highest amount is the winner. They pay the amount they bid for the item. If you don’t win, you don’t pay anything.
The online auction will end at 3pm on Tuesday 19 November 2024. We will host a live event from 3pm – 7pm that day, where people will be able to place bids in-person until 6pm. Then we will announce the winners. You can find out more about the live event here: pyramid.org.uk/take-a-seat-home-pyramid-plan-launch
With a love for gardening, Daniel’s stool is a vibrant celebration of his favourite pastime. His illustrations of vegetables and creepy-crawlies create a lively, green-themed stool that reflects his passion for growing and nature.
Ella
Ella, a fan of the beloved TV character Bluey, transformed her stool to reflect this animated world. Complete with a papier-mâché head, wooden paws, and a playful tail, her stool captures Bluey’s fun and cheeky spirit.
Josh
Josh, a dedicated swimmer and water polo player, recently earned his lifeguard certification. His stool is covered with all things swimming, from colourful swim caps to quirky swim trunks (budgie-smugglers!) It’s a fun, water-filled design that reflects his passion for the pool.
Lewis
Lewis’s fascination with trains comes to life through his stool, where the legs have been transformed into train tracks. Little trains run along the surface, showcasing his passion for locomotives in this clever and creative design.
Victor
Victor, a lover of research and list-making, designed his stool around the theme of space. His stool is adorned with the names of spaceships and space-related video games. Collaborating with a Pyramid volunteer, Pete, Victor crafted miniature spaceships that hang from the stool’s top, including a 3D-printed spaceship he created himself.
William
A devoted fan of the Leeds Rhinos, William created his stool as a beautiful tribute to rugby star Rob Burrow’s remarkable career and charitable efforts.
Pyramid is looking to recruit a new Development Manager to support its work, investing in people with a learning disability, autism, or both, through the discovery, development and disruption of the arts.
This is a new role at Pyramid which supports business development by focusing on fundraising and increasing public awareness of our work.
In this role, you will be responsible for generating, growing, and retaining revenues from new and existing channels (including public and private donations, fundraising events, private sector partnerships and public funding schemes). Liaising with the Director, you will identify and develop funding bids, contracts, and tenders, as well as other sources of income, to enable Pyramid to thrive and grow.
You will take responsibility for Pyramid’s public profile, including social media accounts, news articles on its website and press releases, assisted by the Marketing and Communications Officer, whom you will line-manage.
Deadline for applications: Sunday 10 November 2024.
Please download the following four files which make up the application pack:
If you can’t open Microsoft Word (.docx) files, you can instead use GoogleDocs. Please note, these files will open as ‘view only’ and you will need to save your own copy to edit.
If for any reason the above formats are not suitable or accessible for you, please email access@pyramid.org.uk and let us know how we can help.
Look Through the Camera, 08-18 October
Join us at Archive for an exhibition of print work by Alfie Fox.
Alfie works with photography, digital art, print, text, collage, and making films. He enjoys experimenting with new techniques and building his skills across different art mediums.
His artwork advocates and challenges people’s perspective of access for people with disabilities and incorporates the difficulties he has personally faced as a young man with multiple disabilities.
For this exhibition, Alfie shows his favourite themes of Doctor Who, money, ‘Prime Minister of the Day’, and people he works with at Pyramid.
Alfie uses screen printing as his main art form, using the facilities at Leeds Print Workshop to create a vibrant and fun set of images. Often distorting the obvious into a fractal display of shapes and colours that take the viewer by surprise and need a moment of observation to work out what they are looking at.
Produced over the last three years, this work shows constant exploration and the development of Alfie’s talent as a print maker.
Please note the deadline for this opportunity has now passed.
Pyramid is looking to recruit a new part-time Marketing and Communications Officer to support its work, investing in people with a learning disability, autism, or both, through the discovery, development and disruption of the arts.
As Pyramid’s Marketing and Communications Officer, you’ll be at the forefront of promoting our mission: crafting compelling narratives and creating engaging visual content for social media, and collaborating with our member artists to share their authentic voices and stories.
If you’re passionate about the arts and have a knack for storytelling, this is the perfect opportunity for you to make a difference in a dynamic and inclusive arts community. Your work will amplify the voices of talented artists, foster connections with diverse audiences, and contribute to the growth and visibility of a vital organisation dedicated to creativity and empowerment. Join us at Pyramid and help shape the future of the arts.
Deadline for applications: 11.59pm on Sunday 29 September 2024.
Please download the following four files which make up the application pack:
If you cannot open Microsoft Word (.docx) files, you can instead use GoogleDocs. Please note, these files will open as ‘view only’ and you will need to save your own copy to edit.
If for any reason the above formats are not suitable or accessible for you, please email access@pyramid.org.uk and let us know how we can help.
Take a Seat, 10-17 October
Next Step Pyramid will be exhibiting new work at Seagulls this October. The group have produced a series of artworks using second-hand school stools, and recycled paint from Seagulls.
Where? Seagulls, 129 Water Lane, Leeds LS11 9UD
Limited car parking is available. Seagulls is ground floor, level access.
Date: Thursday 10 October 2024 Time: 6.30pm – 8.30pm Booking: No booking required, just turn up Cost: Free Refreshments provided.
Exhibition:
Dates: 11 – 17 October 2024 Times: 9am – 4pm Monday to Saturday, 10am – 4pm on Sundays Booking: No booking required, just turn up Cost: Free
Developing You – October 2024
Pyramid has partnered with Leeds Employment Hub, People Matters and United Response to deliver a project for adults with a learning disability who are interested in learning more about getting a job. It is called Developing You: Exploring Wellbeing and Work.
There is a video below that tells you more about it.
It is a free, 9 week course (3 hours per week).
Our next course will start on Tuesday 15 October and runs for 9 weeks at the Thackray Museum of Medicine (LS9).
As well as thinking about employment, the course looks at ways to maintain and improve your personal health and wellbeing.
Improve how your body and mind feel
Develop your digital skills
Better understand the world of work
Get 1 to 1 support from an Employment Advisor
Find out about other support services and groups
Meet new people
The course is open to people in the Leeds area aged 18+. Attending will not affect any entitlement to benefits that you may have. We can help with travel costs if needed.
This is a free course is for adults (18+) who are autistic and/or have a learning disability and don’t have a job. Join us at Pyramid to learn about working in the arts:
Making art to sell
Running a craft stall
Leading creative workshops
Building an artist portfolio
Making an online profile
This introductory course is perfect for creative individuals with no previous experience. It aims to provide a foundational understanding of working in the arts, focusing on the basic key aspects of artist development.
The course covers a range of beginner-friendly topics such as making art to sell, running a craft stall, and leading creative workshops. Participants will also learn how to build an artist portfolio and create an online profile.
This programme is an excellent opportunity for newcomers to gain confidence and basic knowledge about working in the arts, supported by Pyramid’s tutors in a welcoming and inclusive environment.
When?
1.30pm – 3.30pm on Fridays 27 September – 13 December 2024
How do I sign-up?
Get in touch with us to register. There is a limit of 12 places on this course and you must be able to commit to coming every week.
This project is funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
Studio open all summer for Pyramid members
We’re excited to announce that our Finding the Flex research project is now underway. From now until March 2025, Pyramid member artists can make use of Pyramid’s studio facilities for up to three days a week, free of charge.
Pyramid Studio Days will happen regularly on Mondays, Tuesdays and Saturdays.
Pyramid member artists can find out more or make a booking by emailing studio@pyramid.org.uk or calling us on 0113 234 6040. It is essential that you book in advance!
Click an image below to view a larger size, or click here to download the flyer and session dates for July and August as a PDF file.
Studio Days general information
Session dates for July and August
Finding the Flex is a further development to our ongoing work, Irregular Art Schools. It is funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council, and is delivered in partnership with University of Leeds.
Artist stall-holder call out
Artists selling pop culture, computer game, animation, DnD, comic and geek themed work wanted for Pyramid’s Summer Art Market!
Date: Saturday 31 August 2024 Time: 11am-3pm Location: Pyramid Studio, Unit 3, 18 Croydon Street, LS11 9RT
A £15 fee is required to secure a table. All sales on the day are for stall holders to keep – Pyramid does not take commission on sales.
The deadline for applications is 11.59pm, Saturday 10 August.
Join us at Pyramid this summer to browse stalls of artists selling pop culture, computer game, animation, DnD, comic and geek themed work. There’ll also be a creative workshop and refreshments on sale.
Date: Saturday 31 August 2024 Time: 11am-3pm Location: Pyramid Studio, Unit 3, 18 Croydon Street, LS11 9RT
Everyone is welcome and we’d love to see as many people as possible, so please help us to spread the word!
This is a fundraising event for Pyramid, and all money raised will go towards improving access and inclusion in the arts for people with autism, a learning disability, or both.
In March and April 2023, we collaborated with KCAT and Trasna Productions (Kilkenny, Republic of Ireland), visiting each other in an artist exchange. We met new friends, learned about each other, and created artwork together.
Artists and staff from the organisations visited each other’s towns and studios. We visited cultural venues in the different towns. We shared the artwork we created and talked to each other about the projects we are currently working on, and our creative practices. We made artwork together inspired by meeting each other, and by the places we had visited and seen on our travels.
We created a new large-scale piece of artwork together, working with artist Saturio Alonso at the Gasworks gallery in Callan. We created a publication, and with film-maker Patrick Bramley we documented our visits (see film, above).
The artists, staff and organisations were inspired by what they saw and what they learned from each other, to think differently and better about the way that we do things.
The artists involved in the exchange were: Alfie Fox, Brianna Hurley, Diana Chambers, Fintin Kelly, Liam Hirst, Ria Lake, and Stephen Harvey.
We would like to thank the British Council for their generous support of this project.
Access Cloaks film screening 20-06-24
Leeds Access Cloaks is a project led by Pyramid artist Alfie Fox. Alfie made four large-scale, print-based ‘cloaks’ with children and adults with disabilities across Leeds, and displayed them at well known cultural venues citywide, including Hyde Park Picture House.
Alfie has collaborated with film-maker Michael Godsall in making this documentary about a ground-breaking project which invites people to think about access and inclusion in the arts.
The film follows Alfie and his team of support artists from Pyramid over the course of the project, documenting the barriers that exist for artists with disabilities, and highlighting why art is an important tool for communication and connection in our everyday lives.
Date: Thursday 20 June 2024 Time: 1pm – 2pm Location: Hyde Park Picture House, 73 Brudenell Road, Leeds, LS6 1JD Access: Please see https://hpph.co.uk/access for detailed information Cost: Tickets are ‘pay what you can’, including £0.
Access Cloak at Leeds Industrial Museum. Photo credit: Michael Godsall.
Treading Water 13-20 June
We are so excited to be partnering with Bramley Baths to host Josh Pedley-Cook’s first ever solo exhibition, Treading Water.
As well as being an artist at Pyramid, Josh is also a member of a Leeds water polo team. He is a passionate advocate for the mental health benefits of swimming and loves spending time in the water. Josh hopes his exhibition will inspire other people to get swimming too!
Josh would also like to invite everyone to his exhibition celebration event on Saturday 15 June, 1-3pm. There will be refreshments and a pop-up exhibition of work by a selection of other Pyramid artists.
Bramley Baths is a stunning Edwardian bath house and if you’d like to take the opportunity to have a swim as well as seeing the exhibition, you can book online, here: https://www.bramleybaths.co.uk/pool
Swim sessions taking place during our celebration event can be booked directly using these links:
We’re looking for a part-time freelance Studio Facilitator to work with us on fixed-term project for nine months.
Pyramid is an inclusive, equal opportunities employer and we want our organisation and its audience to reflect the diversity of our local community in Leeds. If you feel under-represented in the arts, we most strongly encourage you to apply!
The project
We are collaborating with the University of Leeds’ School of Fine Art, History of Art, & Cultural Studies on a project funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), linked to previous research by Irregular Art Schools (https://irregularartschools.org/).
This project is called Finding the Flex and is a feasibility study for providing a flexible, supported open arts studio space for artists with learning disabilities, autism, or both (LD/A). The aim of the project is to test models for more flexible support and support plans for people with LD/A, bringing a potential improvement in the way in which people with LD/A are supported to access different activities and services in future.
Purpose of the post
To be present during open studio hours and take responsibility for general operations, premises, and health and safety.
To provide technical and creative support to the artists present, offering advice and guidance as needed, and facilitating opportunities for shared learning / peer-to-peer working.
To keep accurate records of activity in the open studio and contribute to the ongoing research, monitoring, and evaluation aspects of the project.
Job application pack
Please click on a document title to open/download. If you need a document in another format, please email access@pyramid.org.uk or phone/text 07531 215 999 and we’ll be more than happy to help.
The deadline for applications is Sunday 05 May 2024.
Join us on Patreon
Join us on Patreon as a digital supporter to receive exclusive online behind-the-scenes content and work from our artists. Become a swag supporter to receive new merch through the post every other month alongside all our online content.
Our patrons share our belief that creativity should be nurtured in everyone and that anyone should have the opportunity to become an artist regardless of their personal circumstances. Our artists face many barriers to developing their creative practice, from flaws within health and social care provision to the exclusivity and prejudices of the art world. Pyramid Patrons support the work of Pyramid to challenge these systems, break down barriers, and create new opportunities for our artists.
